May He Never Change
by Dominatrice
Summary: 'They could only watch, powerless to help.' - A veritable feast for those who indulge in Merlin!Whump, H/C, Magic reveals, bromance etc etc. Set between Series 3 and 4, so Lancelot is with us. AU from that point (because we can!). Rated for mild scenes of torture and the odd naughty word. Now with Chapter Two on it's way!


_/x/x/x/x/x/_

Arthur struggled for all he was worth, but the strength of bone and sinew was nothing against the power of the magic that held him bound. Glancing quickly to his left and right, he saw the forms of his men pressed tight to the rock of the cave walls, a quick head count revealing that none of them had escaped in the confusion. Cursing softly to himself, Arthur took a deep breath and ceased his futile struggling, bracing himself to shout over the din of his angered Knights.

"Everybody calm down!" he snapped, hoping that he sounded commanding, as opposed to panicked. Within a few moments the cacophony of angered cries had tapered off into mutinous muttering and, soon after, silence. "Has anyone been injured?"

There was a brief babble of voices before somebody - he thought it was Leon - gave a sharp 'Sh!" and the noise subsided, the pause followed by a voice he recognised as Gwaine's saying "No - we all seem fine. We're all, uh, trapped, though."

Arthur sighed, peering into the oppressive gloom that surrounded them. He could see little more than a few feet in either direction, and the lack of information on what was happening was unsettling him greatly. He was brought out of his inner musings by Lancelot's distinctive voice, coloured strongly with worry.

"Merlin? Merlin! Has anybody seen him?" There was a fresh round of muttering as everybody replied in the negative, and Arthur squirmed against his invisible bonds as both guilt and fear dually assaulted him. He had not noticed his manservants absence at all.

"Be quiet!" he snarled, trying to ignore the accusatory voice in the back of his head that was denouncing him for ten different kinds of fool. "We won't be any help to Merlin, or each other, if you bring down this Sorcerer's attention on us with your bloody noise."

Apologetic silence followed his admonishment, and Arthur was just starting to try and piece together what _exactly_ had happened to land them in this mess when a soft, feminine voice broke the stillness.

"Well, if it isn't Prince Arthur Pendragon himself, and his band of _Merry_ Knights. It's such a _pleasure_ to finally make your acquaintance."

Before Arthur could respond, torches flared to life on the walls, creating a halo of light that enabled him to see his men as more than shadowy lumps, and to behold the woman that had captured them.

To say that Arthur was surprised at the woman's appearance, is like saying that a cat was surprised when the large, juicy rat it had just pounced on turned out to be a rather small, inadequate field mouse. There was nothing distinctive or menacing about her at all. She was of average height, with mousey brown hair tied back in a practical braid. She seemed to be middle aged, with a faintly lined face. She seemed almost motherly, and the twinkle in her eye when put alongside her sarcastic tone resulted in something that was almost mischievous. Arthur's shoulders sagged in relief, before he reminded himself that appearances were deceptive, and she'd managed to capture and detain six armed men with apparently little effort - she was clearly dangerous.

She smiled at him knowingly, the amusement running rife on her features indicating that she was perfectly aware of what he was thinking. Despite the direness of the situation, Arthur felt his cheeks flush; it was unlike him to think something so uncharitable towards a woman (well, one that wasn't Morgana or Morgause, anyway).

Realising that he had been staring at the Sorceress in silence for several long moments, and that his men were waiting for him to take action, Arthur gathered his scattered wits and met her amused gaze with the most imperious one he could muster whilst bound tightly to a cave wall.

"Who are you? What is it that you want with us?" he asked, vying to keep his voice level. "If your aim was to kill the Prince of Camelot, then you would have done so already." Or, at least, he hoped that that was the case. Evil doers did seem to have an unpredictable flare for the dramatic when it suited them.

She smiled at him again, stepping more fully into the ruddy circle of light. Her dress was made of simple, homespun wool, and she fiddled absently with a stray piece of stitching on her sleeve as she studied him thoughtfully. Arthur stared unflinchingly back at her.

"Such arrogance, Young Prince,' she murmured. "What makes you think it's _you_ I'm interested in? As for who I am, I go by many names. You can call me Selena"

Arthur's frowned at the unassuming figure before him in consternation, thoroughly confused by her obtuse response.

"Well, if it's not me you're interested in, then why on earth are you holding us against our will?" he growled, realising that his frustration was quite evident in the brittle tone of his voice. He hoped she couldn't hear the grinding of his teeth.

"Far be it from me to ruin the surprise for you, O Prince," she replied, lifting her eyebrows in what was no doubt an attempt at an air of mystery.

Arthur _detested_ evil doers - they always strung things out.

Giving them all one last look, the woman turned to walk out of the light, pausing at the edge to look back over her shoulder, her face half-masked in shadow. "Just so you know, you can shout his name as loudly as you like, but he won't be able to see or hear you. Not unless I will it so."

Before Arthur could open his mouth to ask one of the hundred questions battling for priority in his head, she was out of sight. Cursing under his breath, he shifted within his iron strong bonds, glad for the presence of chainmail between his skin and the magic. Looking around at the worried faces of his Knights, he tried for a reassuring smile. What came out felt like more of an angry grimace, but he hoped that in the poor light it might pass for the former.

Elyan was the first to break the silence. "If it isn't you she wanted, and she hasn't taken one of us... then who 'won't be able to hear us'?"

"Merlin's still missing," interjected Gwaine, who was busy twisting uselessly against his invisible restraints. "Do you think he escaped in the confusion?"

Arthur shook his head slowly. "Perhaps he did. With any luck he'll be hightailing it back to Camelot as we speak to get help. I hope the idiot doesn't try and break us out of here single handedly." Despite himself, a wry smile tilted his lips at the thought of Merlin trying to save them all. It would be slightly more humorous if he wasn't worried that Merlin would quite likely try to do exactly that.

The sound of Lancelot clearing his throat drew Arthur's attention, and he noted that the other man had gone a sickly shade of white. "Perhaps it is, well - that is to say... What if _Merlin_ is the one she wants?"

For a moment, all Arthur could do was stare at the other man in confusion, before the implication of what he was saying sunk in. At that point, Arthur couldn't help himself; he started to chuckle, and at the shocked look on his men's faces, he struggled to stop.

"I'm sorry, this isn't a laughing matter. But, really Lancelot - _Mer_lin? What on earth would _anyone_ want with _Mer_lin?"

Fortunately - or unfortunately, depending on whether you were Lancelot or Arthur - there was no time for a reply, for at that point the torches on the wall flared even higher, and the circle of light that had illuminated only a little of their surroundings had now expanded to reveal the entirety of the space they were occupying.

At the far end of the cave, Selena was standing over a body sprawled out on the ground. Arthur's breath caught in his throat as the flash of a familiar red neckerchief caught his eye. The sound of a distressed curse filtered through from Lancelot's direction, and the part of Arthur's mind that was still functioning and analysing, wondered what Lancelot knew that he didn't.

Arthur resisted the urge to cry out to his comatose Manservant; the woman had said he wouldn't hear them, and he refused to give her the satisfaction of watching him yell himself hoarse.

Gwaine was not quite so restrained, and wasted several moments hollering his friends name, until Percival managed to shush him.

Powerless, all they could do was watch.

She knelt down next to Merlin, reaching out a steady hand to smooth the hair away from his forehead. There was a strange gentleness to her touch, as though Merlin was her very own child.

"It is time for you to wake, Emrys," she said, not stopping the soothing motions of her fingers over his forehead. Arthur could only watch as his servant moaned gently, eyelids flickering before he suddenly half rolled onto his side, retching and convulsing. Selena made comforting noises, rubbing his back in circular motions.

Merlin seemed to become aware of his surroundings, and his head snapped around to stare Selena in the face. He scrambled away from her, obviously still woozy and uncoordinated, his limbs seeming to travel in several directions at once.

Eventually, panting heavily, Merlin rested against the wall, as far from Selena as he'd been able to get in the confined space. Nervously, Arthur noticed the bright sheen of sweat on the other mans forehead, the ragged quality of his breathing. What had she done to him?

"What have you done to me?" Merlin demanded hoarsely, unwittingly channeling Arthur.

"Just a potion," she assured him, smiling reassuringly. "I know it must be making you feel rotten, but I had to suppress your abilities. We haven't yet reached an understanding, and I didn't want you doing anything, shall we say, rash."

Arthur felt his confusion mounting to epic proportions; what 'abilities' was she on about? Had she picked the wrong man? Had she mistaken Merlin for this mysterious 'Emrys'? He glanced to his right and shared a puzzled look with Leon, who then cast a meaningful look at Lancelot. Lancelot, who most definitely did not look confused, but extremely worried.

"Why are you doing this?" Merlin's voice drew his attention back to the scene unfolding before them. "What do you want with me? I won't betray Arthur, if that's what you want."

Doing his best to ignore the rush of affection and pride for his manservant, Arthur focused his attentions on Selena.

"Because I can no longer stand by and watch, Emrys," she replied, her face and tone grave. "I have waited and waited, but you continue to waste your powers playing _servant_ to a man who would see you dead if he only knew the truth."

Arthur felt decidedly lightheaded and queasy as the implications of what the Sorceress had said became clear to him. He shook his head in denial. Unwilling - no, _unable_ - to believe that Merlin could have a magical bone in his body. Not his goofy, sometimes-sage-but-mostly-just-irritating manservant. Not him, not his _friend_.

He watched as Merlin sighed and raised a shaking hand to his head. "Why can't anyone just have a little faith?" he asked, sounding sad and bone-weary. "Perhaps if people stopped attacking Arthur with Magic, he'd become less opposed to it in time. Did _that_ ever occur to you?"

Selena's eyes narrowed for a second, and then her afable expression was firmly back in place, and Arthur knew he didn't imagine it when she shot him a triumphant look out of the corner of her eye.

"So, if I were to tell Arthur right this moment, that his trusted servant was in fact the most powerful Sorcerer to ever walk the face of this earth, he would welcome you back with open arms and repeal the ban on magic?"

Arthur choked slightly on nothing but air, and he could hear similar reactions from the rest of his men. Even Lancelot seemed slightly shocked, so he obviously hadn't known the full story. Before them, Merlin was shaking his head frantically.

"No! He cannot know. He _cannot_!" Then Merlin was attempting to struggle to his feet, and despite the fact that Arthur's mind was in turmoil over the revelation of the other man's secret, he felt worried, because said man looked far from well.

"Why?" Selena demanded, and Arthur strained forward to hear Merlin's response, because he was desperate to know the answer.

"Because I cannot risk it," answered Merlin, giving up on his legs and slumping back against the wall, breathing harshly. "While his father holds the throne, I cannot - I _will_ not - ask Arthur to choose between his father and... well, me. And what I represent."

Arthur squeezed his eyes shut, and wished that his hands were free so that he could pinch the bridge of his nose, and hopefully offset the thumping headache that was brewing beneath the protective armour of his skull.

"But _why_?!" Selena cried. "You hold more power than any man or woman that has ever lived! If you willed it, the Pendragon's would be but mere dust beneath your feet. You could unite the land of Albion beneath your rule. You could usher in the Age of acceptance, peace and magic. Yet you squander it! Playing fool to a Prince who could not care less if you lived or died for him!"

Arthur watched as Merlin flinched and looked away at the woman's impassioned speech. "I never asked for this power," he replied defensively. "I never sought it, or dreamt of it. I was _born_ like this. I only found out it's purpose when I came to Camelot, and the Prophecies are clear; my Destiny is to _protect_ Arthur, not to rule. That Destiny is his, and his alone." Merlin raised his chin and stared Selena in the eye. The motherly act had evaporated in her fit of temper, and she loomed over the slight form of Merlin, visibly seething with frustration. In this, Arthur could not help but empathise, for he had found himself in a similar position many times

"I give you one last chance, Emrys. Come unite your people. Lead us to glory, to victory over those who wrongly persecute us. Do this, and rise above all men." She stared at him feverishly, and Arthur felt the tension rising in his Knight's as they waited for Merlin's reply.

"I have never desired power, or glory," he replied after a long moment. "I am sorry, but I cannot do this. Kill me, if you must. But leave Arthur in peace - I truly believe that one day he will unite Albion, and bring about the freedom and equality we dream of."

For reasons too convoluted for Arthur to understand, a hard lump formed in his throat, and tears pricked at the back of his eyes. He told himself that he should be furious, that he should be planning the moment when he would tell his father that they had another Sorcerer to burn, but he couldn't. He was terrified for the man who had always stuck by him. Who had risked life and limb for him. Arthur was hurt, confused, angry... yes, all of those things - and more. But they were all issues that could be dealt with in time. Arthur was very much concerned that there might be no more time.

He watched as Selena stood up, gazing coldly down at Merlin. "Then you leave me no choice." She sneered, the expression appearing foreign on that motherly face. "I had expected so much _more_ of the great Emrys. So much more."

Merlin blanched, and then glared up at her defiantly. "Yes, well, sorry to disappoint."

The sound of scuffling drew Arthur's attention and he saw Gwaine and Lancelot thrashing against their bonds. "We have to help him!" snarled Gwaine, and the look of outright desperation on Lancelot's face almost cracked Arthur's calm facade.

"Well unless one of _you_ also happens to have hidden magical gifts, there's nothing we can do," he snapped, and immediately felt like a heartless bastard at the crestfallen expressions on their faces.

"So that's it is it?" shouted Gwaine. "You're giving up on him because he's magic. Despite the fact he's probably saved your life more times than we'll ever know. Well, that's just wonderful, Princess! Turns out I was wrong about you after all."

Arthur felt a flush travelling rapidly up his neck towards his face, and anger bubbled up inside of him at Gwaine's presumption. "That's not what I meant!" he growled back, trying to assume a more commanding tone and failing miserably. "But I can't break these enchantments, Gwaine! Let's face it - we're powerless to help him. We can only trust that Merlin is going to get himself out of this." And as he said it, it struck him how easy it was to think of Merlin using magical means to get the job done. In the same way that the sword seemed like part of Lancelot when he wielded it - and Arthur never thought of the man without thinking of him with a sword strapped to his waist - so did it seem right to think of Merlin with golden eyes and magic sparking in his hands. The thought should of unsettled him more, but didn't.

"No!" the angered cry drew all of their gazes towards the back of the cave, where Selena was advancing on Merlin with a long, silvery chain in her hands. Merlin was feebly trying to push himself away, and seemed to be gagging, as though he was choking on something. Selena was holding the chain with great care, her hands protected by thick leather gloves. An expression of distaste twisted her features, her nose wrinkled as though she could smell something deeply revolting. Merlin had made it close to where the invisible barrier separated them, and as Selena drew level with him Arthur felt an echo of something. It seemed to hum deep inside his bones, and the sensation was deeply jarring, making him feel sickly and unbalanced.

"What are you doing?" shouted Merlin, and Arthur saw his eyes briefly flare gold, Selena stumbling back a step as though knocked by an invisible force.

"You shouldn't be able to cast yet!" she exclaimed, face pale as she gazed at Merlin with fear evident on her face. The man in question was trembling violently, as though the small display of magic had drained him completely. She took a deep breath and dropped down beside him. "All the more reason to get this on you quickly. I really am sorry." And then with a deft movement, she had fastened the smooth metal collar around Merlin's neck. She stood up quickly and backed away, holding onto the lengths of chain attached to the collar.

Arthur's mouth dropped open, and horror curled a tight fist around his heart at what happened next. Within moments of the collar clicking shut around Merlin's neck, he started screaming. Arthur had heard dying men scream on the battlefield. He had heard women and children scream in terror. He had never heard anything like this. The sound emanating from Merlin's mouth was unearthly, inhuman. Unable to help, Arthur could only watch as Merlin writed on the floor, back arching as his pale hands pulled desperately at the unyielding collar.

Arthur turned frantic eyes to Selena, shouting at her to stop - to deal with him instead. He was hardly aware of thrashing against his bonds, of cursing and venting his desperation louder than any of the others. Whether she was aware of them or not, Arthur could not say. She stood over Merlin, tears tracking down her face as she watched the young man howl in agony at her feet.

"Submit to my authority, Emrys," she half shouted, half sobbed. "Just submit and the pain will stop. Please! I never wanted to hurt you, please!"

Arthur wanted to vomit when he saw Merlin's fingers claw at his face, the nails leaving bloody grooves down his cheeks. "No," he heard him gasp. "Never."

He saw Merlin's eyes flash gold again, and Selena dropped to her knees, crying out in pain. "Impossible! This binds your powers!" she moaned, her expression of shock outdone by the look of sheer torture Merlin was sporting.

At that precise moment, two things happened. Arthur realised that his bonds had vanished. Whatever Merlin had just done to Selena, it had obviously affected the spell she had cast on him and his Knight's. The second thing, was that Merlin was staring at Arthur with open horror, which indicated that the barrier separating them was gone.

Trained to act quickly, and to take advantage of any opportunity to present itself, Arthur wasted no time. Selena had obviously confiscated their swords when she had captured them, but she evidently hadn't thought to check for knives concealed in boots.

Forcing his aching limbs into action, Arthur sprang forward, knowing without having to look that his men were directly behind him. Before Selena could grasp what was happening, Arthur was behind her, his knife digging into her neck. She froze in his arms, and he could feel the panicked beating of her pulse against the skin of his thumb where it was pressed to her neck.

"Don't even think about casting," he warned. "Before you can even think it, I'll have slit your throat."

"Then what are you waiting for?" she spat. "Make your father proud, Prince. Rid the world of another Magic user."

Arthur ground his teeth, but refused to rise to the bait. "I won't be doing anything until you release Merlin." She said nothing in response and he pressed the blade further into her flesh, ignoring the warmth of the blood he felt dripping down his fingers as the blade opened her skin. "Release him!"

"Fine!" she gasped, leaning back to try and escape the cold bite of steel. Arthur removed the blade from her neck, replacing the tip at the base of her skull.

"One wrong move, and I'll skewer you," he promised, waiting for her shaky nod before he gave her shoulder a small shove to get her moving. She stumbled forward on her knees, reaching out a trembling hand towards Merlin neck. As she got closer, Merlin - whose screams had tapered off into tortured moaning - thrashed violently against the floor, a rasping howl of anguish tearing out of his throat, complete with blood flecked foam. Arthur shoved Selena again. "Quickly, God damn you!"

It only took a moment, but seemed to take a lifetime. Selena's fingers were clumsy in her shock at the turn of events, and Arthur had to bite his tongue hard to stop himself from interfering and potentially prolonging the process. The collar snapped open, falling away to expose the length of Merlin's neck. Arthur blanched when he saw the previously unblemished skin cracked and red where the metal had touched.

Free from the collar, Merlin whimpered and curled into himself, his eyes rising to lock with Arthur's. Cloudy and partially unfocused with pain, they gazed at Arthur with such a look of hopelessness, that he felt compelled to offer the most reassuring smile he could. He tried to show that it was okay, that they could get down to who needed forgiving for what later.

"Arthur... 'm sorry." And then Merlin's eyes rolled upwards, his eyelids dropping down to hide his eyes from sight. Arthur cursed, and threw Selena in the direction of Percival, hoping that the man's sheer size would intimidate her enough that she wouldn't try anything. He needn't have worried; unable to rationalise how it had all gone so wrong, Selena huddled in on herself, too shaken to form an incantation, let alone cast it.

Arthur gently lifted Merlin's head into his lap, smoothing the damp hair back from his brow, releasing a shuddering sigh of relief at the evident rise and fall of other's chest. Within moments, Gwaine and Lancelot were knelt on either side of their friends prone figure, Leon and Elyan hovering anxiously for a moment before Arthur instructed them to see if they could find their weapons.

"Merlin?" Arthur tried, using the most coaxing tone he could muster. "Come on you useless idiot, if you die on me I'll be forced to endure George and his jokes about brass for the rest of my natural life." Gwaine shot him a reproachful look, but Lancelot smiled faintly, well accustomed to the odd relationship that existed between servant and master. Arthur took a deep breath and gently shook the younger man's shoulder, marvelling at the fragility of it beneath his calloused hand. "Come on Merlin... please." Tears pricked at the back of his eyes, and Arthur's hands fisted in the loose material of Merlin's tunic. _No man is worth your tears. No man is worth your tears. No man..._ "There, you dolt. I said it. Please. Now _wake up_."

Arthur shook Merlin's shoulder again, this time with more vigour. Still nothing. Lancelot's hand came to rest on his arm. "Arthur, shaking him isn't going to help. We need to get him back to Gaius."

Arthur clenched his jaw and nodded, gazing at the body in his arms through an unshed wall of tears. He blinked them away, clearing his throat roughly before he tried to answer. At that moment, Leon and Elyan returned and came to stand at Merlin's feet. They held all of their weapons, and Elyan distributed them appropriately in short order.

"We found the way out, Arthur," said Leon, peering down at Merlin with evident concern. Arthur looked at each of his men in turn, taking in the expressions of distress and worry. He marvelled to himself at how attached they all were to the young servant, how they all seemed to be less concerned with the revelations of his magical abilities, and more preoccupied with how badly injured he was.

"What do we do with this one?" asked Percival, and they all turned to stare at the ashen faced woman standing under his guard. Arthur indicated to Lancelot that he should take his place, and supported Merlin's head until he was settled in the other's lap. Standing, he made his way over until he was stood a bare foot away.

"Well?" he asked eventually. "What should I do with you?" And though it was hard for him to admit, even to himself, Arthur had to respect her courage. She turned her tear-streaked face up to him, and stared him in the eyes unflinchingly.

"Why, you must of course kill me, Arthur Pendragon. That is the law of your land." Her voice was void of emotion, and Arthur hit a moral stumbling block at full speed. If he executed Selena, but not Merlin, then he would be a hypocrite. And executing Merlin just wasn't an option.

"I _must_ do nothing," he said instead, hoping to buy some time to think. Taking her back to Camelot for trial would result in her death, in which case he may as well kill her here on the spot. He could not set her free, in case she came after Merlin again, or tried to rally together other like-minded magic users to put an end to the Pendragon line. He had no way to strip her of her powers. He wondered if Merlin was capable of something like that, but either way it was a moot point, he wouldn't be up to doing anything in the immediate future.

Once again, Arthur was forced to consider the possibility that the woman possessed the ability to read minds. "You are in a moral quandary, Prince Arthur," she murmured, gazing at him with bottomless, dark eyes. "I think I can solve it for you."

Arthur raised an eyebrow expectantly, body tensing as he readied himself to react to a show of magic. In his experience, statements like that usually precluded something drastic.

"I ask for the right to take my own life."

He blinked. That, he had not expected. "This seems to be a sudden change of heart," he said, aware that he was floundering slightly at the unexpected direction she'd just led him in.

"I would not say so," she replied listlessly, lowering her eyes. "I did not act alone in this, and I knew from the start that the price for failure would be, at best, death." She looked up again, meeting Arthur's gaze directly. "If I return without Emrys, I will be submitting myself to punishments worse than death. If you take me to Camelot, I will die as an example to my kin; a spectacle in the courtyard. Neither fate holds any promise for me so, I ask you again; will you allow me the right to end my life on my terms?"

The silence was deafening as everybody waited for him to pass judgement. Arthur continued to stare into her eyes, trying to find the answers, wishing that Merlin would pipe up in the background with a comment that would nudge him towards the right decision.

"Tell me why," he heard himself say. "Answer me truthfully, and I shall grant you this."

Selena seemed surprised for a moment, and then she nodded. "I find those terms to be agreeable." She took a half step to the left so that she could see past Arthur to Merlin, and the look of shame and sadness on her face was too genuine to be contrived.

"Ever since the start of the Great Purge, we have waited and prayed for the coming of Emrys. Gradually we became aware of his existence at your side in Camelot, and we were shocked to say the least, when we discovered that the Mighty Emrys was playing the part of a serving boy." She shook her head in wonderment. "Many have tried to kill you, and indeed Uther; but ever Emrys thwarted their attempts. In keeping his protection of you secret, he has sacrificed and lost much. I have watched it all, over the years, in visions and dreams." She paused for a moment, a tear slowly traversing the existing path down her cheek left by it's brethren. "I have screamed myself awake many nights, exhausted from witnessing his pain, his loneliness."

Arthur could only stare at her, transfixed. He wondered how much he really knew about Merlin, how much he had missed.

"We grew tired of waiting, of seeing our loved ones die." She gave Arthur a challenging look. "My sister was perhaps the best Healer to have graced the land of Camelot, she couldn't have hurt another if her life depended on it. That did not save her from Uther's fires." Arthur swallowed, trying to dispel the rising nausea that he couldn't explain. "I was too late to save her, and so many others. Emrys has been our hope for so long, that to see him hiding in the shadows, serving those who would destroy us all without a second thought... we could not bear it any longer. I had hoped to make him see the sense of our cause, but he is too loyal to you, Pendragon." She shivered slightly, clutching at the folds of her dress with pale hands. "And too powerful. The Collar should have bound him completely." She met Arthur's gaze, her face open and honest. "I have never felt anything like it. He does not use magic, Prince Arthur. He _is_ magic."

Arthur heard the muted gasps of the others, and he wholeheartedly empathized with their shock. The very thought of gangly, clumsy Merlin possessing enough power to potentially overthrow Kingdoms was so outrageous that he couldn't quite get a handle on it. Selena had fallen silent, and was gazing at him expectantly. He tried to gather himself together, for what must have been the hundredth time that day.

"Thank you for your honesty," he said, meaning it truthfully "Any last requests?"

"Tell him I said sorry," she whispered softly. "I know it is worth little, but... please tell him. And do not let him down, Pendragon. His faith in you is stronger even than his Magic, and I do not think I need tell you what that means."

Arthur nodded, swallowing past the tightness in his throat.

_/x/x/x/x/x/_

The next few days were a blur for Arthur. They'd escorted Selena up into the sunlight where Percival, with his characteristic kindness, had shown her where to place the knife so it would hit her heart directly, calmly explaining at what angle she should push it. The powerful Sorceress had died instantly, her expression serene, face tilted towards the late afternoon sunlight. They worked quickly to assemble a collection of rocks, covering her body in a cairn as was only right and proper.

Arthur was still disgusted and perturbed by her actions, angry that Merlin had suffered so greatly at her hands. But having listened to her reasons, he felt in some way responsible, and so he could not find it within himself to deny her a decent burial.

They had camped a little way away from site of their misfortune that night, none of them able to sleep. They had stayed up late into the night, discussing all that they had learnt that day, watching worriedly over Merlin for signs of deterioration, hoping for improvement.

It took them two days to make it back to Camelot, having to travel slowly with Merlin in a hastily constructed stretcher. He did not wake, but continued to breathe evenly, his body automatically swallowing when they trickled water into his mouth.

During that time, they bullied the truth out of Lancelot about his prior knowledge of Merlin's magic. Arthur was irrationally jealous that Lancelot had known when he hadn't, but was slightly mollified when Lancelot earnestly insisted that he'd had no idea about Merlin being 'Emrys'; only that he was powerful, and had ever striven to protect Arthur and Camelot as best he could.

Finally - _finally!_ - they reached Camelot, and were able to hand Merlin over to the ever knowledgeable Gaius. Arthur parted ways with his Knight's, needing to get his affairs in order and inform the Council that the supposed gathering of outlaws they had left to investigate had come to nothing.

"No need to tell them about Selena," he'd told his men. "Better that it stays between us."

"What if somebody notices that Merlin came back injured, Sire?" asked Leon, ever practical.

"We tell them we ran into some rogue Bandit's on the way home," Arthur replied. "Heaven knows it's happened enough times to not be too much of a surprise. We meet back at Gaius' chambers in two hours."

The time with the Council passed in a blur, and before he knew it, Arthur was bathed and dressed in fresh clothes, standing outside of Gaius' door. From the moment he had seen Merlin at the mercy of Selena, he had been too busy to really contemplate the consequences of such a revelation. He had discussed it to some degree with the other's who had been present, but the only conclusion they had really reached was that, until they had heard Merlin's side of the story, they could make no judgements.

If Merlin ever woke up, that is. Fear had replaced the blood in his veins, coursing around his body, infiltrating the deepest parts of his being. Arthur didn't know if it had anything to do with Destiny or Fate. All he knew, with the utmost certainty, was that he could not bear to lose Merlin now.

Bracing himself, Arthur rapped twice on the door, and then pushed it open. The others were already there, clean and fresh smelling thankfully, and were arranged around the cot holding Merlin on various stools and chairs.

Gaius acknowledged Arthur with an inclination of his head and a respectful "Sire", never pausing in his mixing and muttering.

Arthur walked to where the rest had left a stool by Merlin's head free. Seating himself, he rested his elbows on his knees and propped his chin on his clasped hands, resigning himself to waiting for the answers he sought.

After several minutes, Gaius poured the concoction he'd been mixing into a small pan suspended over a flame, and nodded approvingly at whatever he could see happening.

"There, that just needs to simmer for ten minutes, then it should be ready to administer," he said, slowly making his way around the table, smiling gratefully when Elyan offered him the more comfortable chair.

Arthur leant forward eagerly, seeing an opportunity to get at least a few answers. "What's wrong with him Gaius? He hasn't woken once since he passed out two and half days ago." Gaius sighed, evidently troubled. Sensing the problem, Arthur thought it better to pre-empt any attempts at deflection on the old mans part. "You know that we know the truth now Gaius, the time for secrecy had passed."

Gaius shifted uncomfortably, smiling guiltily. "My apologies, Sire. Force of habit, you might say. Well, as to Merlin... it seems that this Sorceress, Selena, was most accomplished in the art of potion making. The potion she used, designed to suppress the persons ability to cast magic, is all but impossible to make. It takes a full cycle of the moon to concoct, requiring utmost precision and skill." He paused, noticing Arthur's impatient expression, and cleared his throat nervously.

"The fact that Merlin somehow managed to cast some small magic when under the potions influence would have taxed him greatly, so it is no surprise that his body is exhausted. Still, it is the Collar that has done the damage I am afraid." A dark expression crossed the elderly man's face, and Arthur's heart seemed to almost spasm with panic. "What you describe is a foul contraption, and all were supposed to have been destroyed many, many years ago. It's name, in the old tongue, is a curse in itself, and so you'll forgive me if I do not enlighten you. All you need know, is that it places the collared at the complete mercy of the one holding the chain. They cannot cast magic - cannot _touch_ it - unless the Chain Holder wills it. They are a foul tool of enslavement, and were used to torture powerful magic wielders into submission."

Gwaine's voice shook when he spoke, but Arthur was grateful that he was saved from asking the question. He did not trust his voice to speak.

"But Merlin managed to cast some magic," Gwaine said, frowning. "The Sorceress, Selena... she said it was because Merlin _was_ magic. Is that true?" They all waited with baited breath, and Arthur could not help but notice how Gaius drew his stooped shoulders straight and raised his head proudly when he answered.

"Yes, she spoke truly."

Silence followed for several long minutes, the stillness broken only by Gaius moving to take the potion off the flame. He clattered about at his workstation whilst Arthur studied the sharp angles of his manservants face. How could somebody who appeared so delicate, embody so much unimaginable power?

Gaius instructed them to all grab a limb, explaining that the cure he was about to administer would force Merlin's body to reject the last of the potion in his system, likely causing a violent reaction. Leaving the others to the body, Arthur moved to stand behind Merlin, placing his hands firmly on either side of his head. Nodding at Gaius to indicate that they were all ready, Arthur braced himself.

Gaius managed to get the liquid into Merlin with little trouble, stroking his charge's neck with practised ease until he swallowed. At first nothing happened, and Arthur started to worry that it was ineffectual. However, before he could voice his concerns, he felt it. It started as a slight tremor that he could feel through the palms of his hands, and judging from the tightening expressions on the other's faces, they felt it too. Then, with no warning whatsoever, Merlin's body seemed to explode.

Arthur almost lost his grip on Merlin's head as he started to thrash and buck on the table, his body twisting and fighting against the restraining hands of his friends.

"C'mon Merlin, mate," whispered Gwaine fiercely, pushing the whole of his weight down onto the protesting arm in his grasp. As quickly as it started, it stopped, Merlin's body flopping limply on the table.

Arthur realised he was panting, and dropped gratefully back onto the stool he'd vacated.

"Well?" he demanded, looking expectantly at Gaius. "Did it work?"

A soft groan made them all freeze, and Arthur leapt to his feet as Merlin's eyelids started to flutter. Unaware of the fact that he was grinning like a child, he leant eagerly over the side of the cot, letting out a long breath at the familiar blue eyes blinking back at him.

"Welcome back," he grinned. "Idiot," he added, as an afterthought. Merlin frowned gently at him, obviously trying to piece together what had happened, his expression falling into one of horror as he gradually remembered that Arthur now knew his secret. Tempted to make Merlin ask, Arthur made himself be merciful.

"Yes, you good-for-nothing waste of space, I know your rather _magical_ secret." At the intensifying look of fear on Merlin's face, not to mention the frankly disapproving look on Gaius', Arthur hurried along. "But luckily for you, I've decided that as you'd no doubt manage to completely muck up being executed, it's just not worth attempting."

Ignoring the wry chuckles coming from the other's - most specifically Leon, who was the Master of Wry - Arthur took a moment to delight in the intense look of gratitude he was receiving from Merlin, which was quickly replaced with a slightly insulted one as he fully grasped the contents of Arthur's statement.

"Which is not to say, however," continued Arthur. "That you and I don't have a _lot_ of talking to do."

Merlin's face fell a little, and then he nodded gently, a small smile curving his lips. Arthur saw him trying to move his hand and, without thinking, reached out and gripped it gently. "None of that, you're weaker than a newborn babe - which admittedly isn't _that_ different to normal, but all the same... no unnecessary moving, and that's an order."

Merlin's eyes twinkled softly in the dim candlelight, and Arthur felt the gentlest of pressure on his hand as Merlin squeezed back.

"Never do... follow orders," Merlin mumbled. "Prat."

Arthur grinned, watching in exasperated amusement as the effort of speech sent Merlin back off into sleep, although this time looking much more peaceful. Placing the hand he held back on the cot he stood back a few steps, taking in each man before him, knowing that each had chosen to stay loyal to Arthur, to Merlin, and to hold this immense secret until such a time as Arthur could free Merlin from the bonds of secrecy. Feeling a little overwhelmed by the immensity of the last few days, he shook his head and smiled.

"Well, magic or no... it seems Merlin will always be Merlin."

Percival stood, towering over the others and bowing his head respectfully towards Arthur. "And may that never change."

Arthur smirked softly and ducked his head to gaze in silent wonder at the worlds most powerful Warlock.

_Yes. May that never change. _

The End.

**A/N: **Well, I'm not really sure where this came from! I started off by planning to write something set between seasons 3/4, to write it from Arthur's POV and to have a possible magic reveal. I did not intent to turn it into a whump!fest. I know it's an overdone cliche, but I wanted to have my turn at the obligatory "Arthur see's Merlin be tortured by some evil doer to try and gain control of his magic, causing masses of 'whump', 'hurt/comfort' and an AU 'reveal'. Still, even if it was a bit overdone... I hope you enjoyed it! This was un-Beta'd, so apologies for any errors.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, especially on characterisation. I worry about making my characters OOC, so thoughts on that especially would be great. I do have a rough plan for a companion piece to this, but I'm not sure whether this needs to be a two-part or not. If there's a good response from people wanting to see the second part, I'll happily write it, but I think this is good to stand alone if not.

Thank you for reading!

Dominatrice.


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